Calusa 2009

Calusa 2009 Trip Report (Week of May 04): High pressure system fueled shifting winds (southeast to west) each day with a full moon influencing strong negative tides this combination perplexed the weatherman (forecast was wrong everyday). The fishing pattern was also impacted making gathering bait difficult each morning and locating fish challenging. Captain Diamond utilized all his resources (local knowledge, guides, bait shops, tea leaves, ouija board, etc.) to locate points out of the wind that held fish. The crew followed Diamonds float plans, fished hard, fished long, slept little, and endured brutal beatings (seas pounding the boats on long runs south) resulting in a respectable number of impressive fish.

**Location: Goodland, Florida (southeast side of Marco Island)

**Crew:
Brian Cobb (Lakeland, FL)
Diamond Neeley (Naples, FL)
Cordell Hipolito (Sand Diego, CA)
Josh Carson (Macon, GA)
Kip Dekalb (Lakeland, FL)
Kirby Kilgore (Athens, GA)
Mike Neeley (Jacksonville, FL)
Steve Jax (Winterhaven, FL)

**Leader Board:
Tarpon (100+ lbs): Mike
Snook (40 inches): Kilgore
Redfish (26 inches): Kip
Triple Tail (30+ inches): Jax
Seatrout (28 inches): Kilgore
Jack (30+ inches): Diamond
Shark (6+ foot): Cordell
Catfish (100+ fish): Cordell

**Trip Highlights:
-Bait was gathered each morning (4 miles offshore) no matter the conditions; some mornings this process required several hours
-Tarpon were hooked and landed south toward Tiger Key within the Everglades National Park boundaries; Tarpon were free jumping
-Snook were located in the backcountry, cuts/channels, and dock lights
-Dock lights held good numbers of tarpon and snook; Early in the week crews fished the dock lights until morning
-Seatrout bite was hot on shoals south of Cape Romano; Several gator trout outside the slot were landed (release in the grease)
-Josh Carson reviewed his latest album with the crew during a slack tide (Josh Carson Symphony of Circumstance available at iTunes and Rhapsody)
-Jax and his crew grew addicted to hunting triple tail on the crab pot strings; Iced several legal fish and lost a Mogan at boat side
-Cordell lost a 40 inch snook to a 7+ foot blacktip shark; Shark ate the entire snook at once no blood, clean steal
-Kirby and Cordell both tangles with goliath grouper in the 400+ lbs class; Kirby has a 15 lb gag group eaten at boat side by a monster goliath
-Jax and Kip drive down from Lakeland, launch boat, motor south to rendezvous with other crews; Come off plane to Mike grabbing the lower lip of a 100+ lb tarpon

**Heard on the Trip:
Bucket, Smoking Lady, Burning Boat, W-Pass, Tarpon Hole, Mud Hole, or the Pot Strings?
Damn jet skiers
Do the Buzzard lope with Queen Mary
Do we have any peanuts left?
Fish on!!
Fish or sleep? Thats what I thought
Fish tacos again tonight? Im good with that
Good gawd oh, mighty!! (Hollered each time the cooler on Mikes boat was opened beer was located under a thick layer of gator trout)
Here kitty, kitty, kitty
How many vehicles?
I think the wind is laying down
Im gonna rachie hole Diamond
Light to moderate chop (computer generated voice wx channel)
Meow
Monkey see, monkey do
Scout-About, Scout-About, this is X-Daddy do you copy?
Syn-chuz (Since your up can you grab me a beer)
They just called theyre at the Snook Inn
Time-on-Water, Time-on-Water what is your location? Damn, I know he has his radio on must be catching fish and holding out
What channel is the weather channel on?
You didnt just catbird us, did ya?

Category:

Travel & Events

[Grayd0g117]

I just caught a 42 inch 26 LB snook last night in the marina at Sanibel Harbour Resort off of a 6 inch Greenback! it was a 10 minute fight on 50 lb braind and 50 lb leader! im 15 and had like 20 people watching me fight this monster haha, Best fish of my life :D and biggest :P

[kneeleyutube]

Josh has his CD available at iTunes (Symphony of Circumstance ). His unplugged (acoustic) material is not published (i.e. Cape Ramono). Check out this youtube from another trip (Boca Grande) - I secretly captured him playing in the condo. Youtube - Jam Session Boca Grande

[kneeleyutube]

We just returned from Goodland - annual trip (late April). Weather was horrible - blowing, gusts to 50 mph on day two, water was like coffee, bait was difficult to find, fish were scattered. We fished hard with very few noteable fish. Lost one mogan snook. Otherwise, kept a couple tripletail, trout, spanish, and one red. Depressing.

[lauriewinkler]

Just got back from Goodland! Fished hard for 8 days out of the 12 we were there and didn't do as well as years passed. They say the cold winter hurt the fishing big time this year. Oh well still had a blast and miss it already! Whenever I'm getting that feeling like I want to be in Goodland, (I live in Northern Michigan), I watch your video! It's good for my soul! Does Josh Carson have a CD out? I'd love to get it. Been checking on here periodically for Calusa 2010!

[Horseshowchamp]

This looks soo fun!! Thanks for posting

[lauriewinkler]

We actually had a wicked storm come up on us fast, so we had to give up on the tarpon and make a run for the Cape and take cover in the old house. Yes, good times! Going back in a few weeks. Can't wait!

[lauriewinkler]

Toward the middle of the video I recognize the "little" shoal with Cape Romano in the background. I hooked about 100 lb tarpon in that very same place standing on the shoal. I will never forget that! Good times!

[brattonb]

Looks like you guys had a great time. Have you seen my Parrot?